a theoretic wiring excersize

Brandenburg

New member
Ill start by saying ,I have a habit of downloading cool pics of guitars,amps,wiring diagrams or any interesting configuration .. Well a few months ago I believe someone posted this pic of a guitar that had been extensively modded with switches/pots.. so I downloaded the pic w/ the intention of drawing up a wiring diagram based on the requirements that where on the pic..

This was just an exercise to see if I could. Overall the wiring diagram wasn't to complicated once I got started and had an attack plan..Wasnt complicated as I said but definitely involved. This reminded me of procedural programming in so many ways .Used to do programming for a few years so I can really see the comparison, especially in a wiring such as this...I approached this like I have done countless programming problems in the past



well .. here is the result... the drawing isnt painted yet so it might be hard to read but i wont do that until im satisfied it is most likely correct.. as I said this was just for fun.. Most of it was done w/ brain power alone w/o looking at other wiring sources.. I did on 2 instances.. one was to check to make sure my series/split/parallel switches were wired up correctly.. I knew they were, but i just needed confirmation.. they were LOL the second was the tone control.. i originally had it wired a bit different but i like the way this one looks better. If i ever do wire it up.. ill definitely test my wiring of the tone pots on atleast one pot when i can. I personally believe my way would work and might even work better that the one drawn. unfortunately Im unable to wire this up atm as I dont have a spare guitar w/pickguard I could try it on but someday.this project might cost a small fortune in pots/switches/pups..LOL

as I said.. This was just an exercise to sharpen my skills.. its always better to know the how's and why's than to depend on memory or external sources to aid you..
the pic with the specs i went by

the result.. The program I use is a program called ExpressSCH and ALL of the symbols where drawn in the program by me..I ACTUALLY got around to numbering the tabs on the lever switches.. I always forget and have to look at a example but this time I went ahead and numbered them. I know.. im lazy at times:onder: To make it easier to read , I paint in PSP7 and base the color i use usually on the mfg'er of the pups ill be using. I have custom brushes saved to streemline the process and make everything very consistent

almost forgot.. I did add a kill switch to the diagram as well
 
Re: a theoretic wiring excersize

already see a small error.. lol meh it happens

edit>> pots/switches/caps will run 188.50 if i was to actually do this project + Pups.. ~$300.. LOL yea.. thats a bit steep just to experiment
 
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Re: a theoretic wiring excersize

I've seen that pic before and thought about mapping it myself! Way cool!
Thx..
was sorta bored.. Im curious if it will work as advertised.. only change id make it to use a push/pull for the bypass instead of a DPDT switch

.My goal is to buy another used squier in the next year, give it a swimming pool rout and get several pickguards for it with alot of configuration option.. use fasteners for the pickguards and for some of the wires where i can quickly add another one..I just need a testbed guitar to try out these ideas.. I AM NOT tearing down my perfectly wired guitars under any circumstance for any experiment.. took me months to get the sh*t the way i wanted it. I wired/rewired all 6 of my guitars in like a 4 to 5 month period and 2 i did twice as it wasnt quite right. I really learned alot and im constantly improving the way i do things

there was a few errors in the first drawing..on the 5 way.. if you look closely, the 2nd position isnt wired but I did fix it on the updated drawing... i have NEVER used a 5 way and 3 way like this before..Yea, I have done coil splits with one but never parallel or out of phase..id prefer to use DPDT or a push/pull for that..but i had a working knowledge of how they worked, so i just had to transfer that knowledge in the confines of a 5 way.. considering I used no source material for those two switches to be used in that way, I think I did pretty good.. . Didnt have internet yesterday so i couldnt cheat.. LOL

Trying to test myself.. never know when I might be offered to do a job and have no resources around
 
Re: a theoretic wiring excersize

No rocket launcher? Can you get cable on that thing? With all the metal and wire in it, I'd imagine you could get good radio signal :lol:

Seriously, good job on mapping that out. Last time I was that bored my credit card debt increased by $3,000 :lol:
 
Re: a theoretic wiring excersize

No rocket launcher? Can you get cable on that thing? With all the metal and wire in it, I'd imagine you could get good radio signal :lol:

Seriously, good job on mapping that out. Last time I was that bored my credit card debt increased by $3,000 :lol:

thx..

man,thats alot of controls on that guitar.. I actually set my paper size for the drawing to legal size.. just to get a bit more room to place the components.. I sourced just the switches and pots from allparts and the total came to $188.50.. yea.. i see this staying theoretical quite a bit longer

damn.. now i want to do another schematic..lol
 
Re: a theoretic wiring excersize

I downloaded that ExpressSCH program and played with it a bit... until Mrs. BriGuy informed me that it was time to pay attention to HER! Pretty cool... I may have to keep using it. Thanks for the tip!


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Re: a theoretic wiring excersize

I downloaded that ExpressSCH program and played with it a bit... until Mrs. BriGuy informed me that it was time to pay attention to HER! Pretty cool... I may have to keep using it. Thanks for the tip!

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PM me your email and ill send you a zip of all the guitar symbols i made, if you want.. I made enough components to cover most guitar wirings. this will save you several hours.. even if you want to make your own.. mine can still be used as a framework.. just an offer

BTW that download should have freeSCH sister program FreePCB.. you can design a circuit board and send it to a place.. and they will make you the printed boards..obviously the cost goes down when buying in quantity

here is an example.. Something I did back in 2010.. I downloaded a schematic off the net for a client and used both of these programs to make it happen.. freepcb was a snap.. use freesch to do the schematic, then import that into freepcb and just arrange and connect the dots.. its a circuit for a fuel mod to a car/truck.. after getting this done, the sh*t didnt work right.. after scouring the net for the calculation i needed.. plugged the numbers and found the author made a mistake.. personally , i think it was on purpose.. confirmed my calculation with an electronics sim program



older pics.. yes the desktop chick is covered.. its called soap.. lol

edit>> I actually made this circuit.. no theoretical exercise here.. thought it was my fault as the output i was getting was 40% off but not.. was the designer
 
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here is with a bit of color added.. Also made a mistake or two , so I corrected that. On position of 1 of the 3-way.. The original drawing was wired as a volume bypass.This was incorrect. I changed it so that the middle pup is in the circuit and the 5 way is not..

yep.. I like my wiring diagrams like I like my women.. with a bit of color..LOL

 
Re: a theoretic wiring excersize

hmmm you can simplify at least on the killswitch part, you could add a shadow killpot and kill two birds in one shoot, wich would really serve you if you ever build this
 
Re: a theoretic wiring excersize

hmmm you can simplify at least on the killswitch part, you could add a shadow killpot and kill two birds in one shoot, wich would really serve you if you ever build this

interesting.. never heard of a shadow killpot until now.. dunno though.. I use kill switches a bit different than others.. i dont use them for effect but quite literally as an on/off switch

i might try to come up with my take on this wiring and use it for my next guitar. some parts of it are interesting IMO.. main thing id change is the tone controls and instead of a 3 war lever control.. id go with a 3PDT or 4PDT switch
 
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